China to impose reciprocal sanctions on US individuals acting viciously over Hong Kong-related issues

BEIJING, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- In response to the erroneous actions of the United States, China has decided to impose reciprocal sanctions on U.S. executive officials, members of Congress and non-governmental organizations, who have performed viciously and take the main responsibility for the U.S. negative actions toward Hong Kong-related issues, a foreign ministry spokesperson said Monday.

The immediate family members of related individuals will also be subject to the new sanctions, spokesperson Hua Chunying told a press conference.

Hua made the remarks in response to a question about the U.S. State Department's imposition of the so-called sanctions on six officials of the Chinese central government and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government.

The relevant U.S. actions blatantly interfered in Hong Kong affairs, grossly interfered in China's internal affairs and judicial sovereignty, and gravely violated international law and the basic norms governing international relations. "China is firmly opposed to and strongly condemns this," Hua said.

Hong Kong is a society under the rule of law, and everyone is equal before the law, Hua said, adding that the basic requirement of the rule of law is that laws must be obeyed and lawbreakers prosecuted.

"We firmly support relevant departments of the HKSAR in cracking down on illegal and criminal activities in accordance with the law, safeguarding the authority of the law and safeguarding national security," she added.

Noting that Hong Kong is China's Hong Kong, and Hong Kong affairs are entirely China's internal affairs, Hua said the U.S. side must immediately cease interfering in Hong Kong affairs, interfering in China's internal affairs and endangering China's national security under various pretexts.

"The U.S. side should not proceed farther down this erroneous and dangerous path," Hua said.